Automated fluid dispensers for dispensing multiple types of fluids such as paint colorants are known. Further, such multiple fluid dispensers ale often computerized or linked to a controller which controls the dispensing of the various fluids. For example, modern paint colorant dispensers often include a cabinet or housing that accommodates a plurality of colorant canisters with each canister connected to its own pump. The pumps are all linked to a controller which controls the sequence and amount of the various colorants dispensed based upon data entered through a keyboard or terminal. Such dispensers typically include a single dispense outlet and a shelf disposed under the outlet for supporting the paint can or container. While the currently available automated fluid dispensers are effective in accurately this dispensing a plurality of different colorants, the designs of these dispensers suffer from common drawbacks.
For example, the dispensers are quite large due to the necessity of the cabinet housing a plurality of colorant canisters, such as eight or more and a separate pump for each canister. The bulkiness of the dispenser is exacerbated by the need to include a controller, such as a central processing unit, a keyboard and a monitor and cabinet space to house these items. Further, some dispensers must include a large number of different colorants thereby increasing the size of the cabinet that holds the canisters.
These automated paint colorant dispensers are typically utilized in the paint department of a hardware store or other retail facility. Because each store or retail facility is designed differently, many retailers are faced with the difficult task for making room for such large automated paint colorant dispensers in areas of limited space. As a result, there is a need for a more flexible design for automated paint colorant dispensers which would enable the configuration of these dispensers to be easily altered, depending upon the facility in which they are to be installed.
Further, most automated paint colorant dispensers are designed to dispense paint colorants into a large, five gallon pail or container. As a result, the shelf that supports the container is disposed vertically below the dispense outlet a sufficient distance so as to permit a five gallon container to be disposed on top of the supporting shelf but below the dispense outlet or nozzle. However, paint retailers also mix and sell paints in smaller quantities such as single gallons, quarts and pints. When a retailer needs to custom mix a smaller quantity of paint using an automated dispenser designed to dispense colorants into larger five gallon containers, a smaller container is disposed so far below the dispense outlet that splashing of the colorant as it reaches the smaller container is common and problematic. Obviously, when the colorant splashes outside of the container, the accuracy of the resulting paint color is compromised. Further, splashing of paint colorant outside of the container receptacle also results in colorant being splattered onto the dispensing apparatus causing it to be unsightly and in need of frequent clean-up. Thus, there is a need for an improved paint colorant dispenser design which enables the dispenser to easily accommodate large and small containers to thereby eliminate the splashing problem.
Finally, after the appropriate colorants are dispensed into the container, the container is then moved away from the dispense outlet, sealed and then shaken in a mechanical mixing device. However, fluid colorant often will continue to drip from the dispense outlet down onto the supporting shelf or conveyor. As a result, the colorant soils the shelf or conveyor, presents an unsightly appearance and requires additional clean-up. Thus, there is a need for an improved paint colorant dispenser design which addressed this dripping problem.
More broadly, multiple fluid dispensing technology originally developed for the paint industry has expanded to foods, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, etc. Thus, the problems associated with the dispensing multiple fluids into containers of varying sizes extends beyond the paint industry to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and other unrelated industries. Therefore, there is a need for an improved multiple fluids dispenser design which addressed the dripping problems and the problems associated with accommodating containers of varying sizes as discussed above.